Rare glimpse of Northern Lights across Britain

The northern lights at St. Mary's Lighthouse and Visitor Centre, Whitley Bay, North Tyneside. Credit: PA

Britain was treated to spectacular views of the Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, with one person going as far to say watching the natural phenomenon had been on her bucket list.

The Northern Lights were spotted as far south as Essex, but residents in the Scottish Highlands, Edinburgh, Northern Ireland and Norfolk all spotted twinkling green and red lights across the night sky.

Astronomer Will Gater captured the breathtaking spectacle in this footage:

St. Mary's Lighthouse and Visitor Centre, Whitley Bay, North Tyneside. Credit: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire

The display is caused by naturally charged particles from the Sun entering the Earth's atmosphere.

The northern lights appeared as far north as Thurso in the Highlands. Credit: Chris Griffin

Normally Brits would have to travel to Nordic countries like Finland and Iceland to see the Northern Lights.

However, thanks to a Coronal Mass Ejection from the Sun a few days ago, the Northern Lights put on a spectacular show across the UK.

Read: Spectacular Northern Lights illuminate UK

Embleton Bay in Northumberland. Credit: Tom White/PA Wire